SPAG - Seven Parishes Action Group
SPAG is a body jointly established by the Seven Parish Councils of Bishopton, Great Stainton, Little Stainton, Sadberge, East and West Newbiggin, Great Burdon and Redmarshall. It represents the lives of well over 2000 local residents.
The body is certainly not against renewable energy but are appalled at the amount of applications that have and are currently being processed in the rush to beat the current deadline for onshore development. The cumulative effect of all of these and other rumoured would have devastating consequences on our lives.
Map of proposed wind turbines with 1km radius shown
View Wind Farms in North East Darlington in a larger map
The group are campaigning against the first three developments on the above list. If these are allow to progress they will be within a short distance of each other and will severely blight the local landscape and residents lives. This is what is termed cumulative impact.
In order to help our local Borough Councils to get things right they commissioned a company called ARUP to interpret National Policy and also outline how many wind turbines would be feasible in this area in 2008. Our local area is 17, 19 and 24 and is part of a larger area which extends beyond the confines of the local authority. The report recommends that only ‘9-15’ additional turbines could be accommodated in the Tees Plain area (which includes substantial areas outside the perimeter of Darlington Borough area).
It also sated that the area could only accommodate small/medium scale development which were defined as clusters of 4-6 turbines and that each development would be separated by a minimum of 5km to avoid over-bearing amenity dominance.
This is plainly not being taken into consideration by the development companies/planning departments as all current applications far exceed this recommended figure and are separated by substantially less than the recommended 5km.
We believe that these conditions are necessary to minimise the impact, as sated in National Policy Document E26:
- Visual and environmental cumulative impact.
- Turbine noise and its effect on local residents.
- Light flicker and its effect on local residents.
- Direct overbearing effect of turbines on local business.
- Effect on mobile phone and TV reception which is already poor in large parts of this area.
- Interference with Durham and Tees Valley Airport.
- Reduction in residential property values.
As a group SPAG needs our support and notices will be circulated to inform you how you can give this help.
In the meantime if you would like to leave a comment please feel free to do so re the contact list on this website or by calling Peter Wood on 01740 631971.
